New Zealand · TAURANGA TOURS

15 Tauranga Tours Worth Booking

29 tours  ·  from $23

Good tauranga tours fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.

White Water Rafting - Kaituna Cascades, The Originals - Getting fitted out for the river
Tauranga Tours, Tour Reviews, White Water Rafting

White Water Rafting – Kaituna Cascades, The Originals

1.White Water Rafting – Kaituna Cascades, The Originals

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,274 reviews · from $83Our pick

Take on a 50-minute Grade 5 rafting run through the Kaituna River’s jungle canyon, including three waterfalls and the 7-meter Tutea Falls. Guides such as Malcolm, Flynn, and Hamish lead small raft crews. You need to reach Okere Falls yourself, and the trip suits active people aged 13 to 65.

“This activity was EVERYTHING you’d imagine. It was beautiful in the valley, the trees and the river. It was fun getting in the water for a swim at the beginning of the journey down the river. It was exciting going down the small waterfalls. The Read more”

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Tauranga Shore Excursion: Rotorua Highlights - The road from Tauranga to Rotorua
Shore Excursions, Shore Excursions in Tauranga, Tauranga Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Tauranga Shore Excursion: Rotorua Highlights

2.Tauranga Shore Excursion: Rotorua Highlights

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 427 reviews · from $152

Travel from Tauranga to Rotorua for geothermal wonders at Whakarewarewa, a Māori village welcome and performance, Pohutu Geyser, kiwi tasting, redwoods, Government Gardens, and Kaituna Falls. Guides such as Stephen and Rolf provide commentary. Lunch is at your own expense.

“This was a tour of an authentic Mauri village built over hot springs and geysers. Twenty five families still live here. Tour was led by a Mauri resident and the performance was great. The Pohutu geyser fully erupted. We even got to taste ears of corn cooked in a boiling pool. Tour also included a visit to a kiwi fruit orchard with tasting, a stop at the Whakarewsrewa Forest, government gardens, and Kaituna Falls. The tour began at the ship’s port and our guide was very careful to watch the time all day in order to get us back to the ship in plenty of time.”

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Tauranga: Evening Glowworm Kayak Tour - A generous taste of Aotearoa before paddling
Canoes & Kayaks, Evening Experiences, Kayaking Trips in Waitomo, Tauranga Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Waitomo Tours

Tauranga: Evening Glowworm Kayak Tour

3.Evening Glowworm Kayak Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 311 reviews

Meet Waimarino Kayak Tours in Tauranga for a 3-hour-15-minute evening trip to Lake McLaren. Guides such as Ellie, Lucy, Darragh, Frosty, and Leo lead you through calm water and into a narrow glowworm canyon, with equipment and light refreshments included.

“We had a fantastic time with Lucy & Darragh as our guides! It was simple, it was fun, and we enjoyed the new adventure of kayaking as neither I nor my husband had done it before. The glow worms (which aren’t actually glow worms as we’ve coincidentally figured out) were gorgeous! It was also lovely knowing the science and the Māori knowledge behind them. Thank you for a fun experience we’ll continue to look fondly back on!”

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6.5 hour Small-Group Rotorua Naturally Shore Excursion - Tauranga - Kuirau Park: geothermal activity without an entrance fee
Shore Excursions, Shore Excursions in Tauranga, Tauranga Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

6.5 hour Small-Group Rotorua Naturally Shore Excursion – Tauranga

4.6.5 hour Small-Group Rotorua Naturally Shore Excursion – Tauranga

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 283 reviews · from $135

From Tauranga, you’ll ride with a local guide such as Simon, Richie, or Alistair to Rotorua for bubbling mud pools, steaming lakes, a geothermal foot bath, a Māori village stop, glow worms, and the Redwoods Treewalk. The small group is limited to 20 people.

“This is a tour to Rotorua where you will see some hot steaming lakes and can put your feet in hot spring water. Then there is a short visit to a Maori village where a lunch is offered, which consisted of a stuffed filo dough hot pocket. After that there is a visit to a canopy walk between redwoods. We found that the highlight of the tour. Quality of the guide was good and the bus was new, though very tight for the knees at some seats.”

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Hobbiton Movie Set Shore Excursion from Tauranga (6 Hours) - Crossing the Kaimai hills into Waikato
Hobbiton Movie Set Tours, Shore Excursions, Shore Excursions in Tauranga, Tauranga Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Hobbiton Movie Set Shore Excursion from Tauranga (6 Hours)

5.Hobbiton Movie Set Shore Excursion from Tauranga (6 Hours)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 267 reviews · from $198

Travel from Tauranga through Mount Maunganui, the Kaimai hills, and Waikato farmland to Hobbiton. A local driver such as Gary, Grant, or Isabel provides commentary before a Hobbiton guide leads the 2.5-hour visit, including a furnished Hobbit home and a drink at the Green Dragon.

“We booked a Hobbiton tour independent of our cruise ship and couldn’t have been happier with the experience. From the beginning, the instructions were clear, simple, and easy to follow, which made getting to and from the tour completely stress-free. Our guide was excellent — informative, organised, and very clear about how the tour would run at every step along the way. We always knew exactly what was happening, which was especially reassuring when coordinating around cruise timings. Hobbiton itself was a true bucket-list experience for me, and it absolutely lived up to expectations. We were lucky to have beautiful weather, which made the setting even more magical. A special…”

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Hobbiton Transport & Tauranga Highlights Excursion from Tauranga - From Tauranga to the Shire
Hobbiton Movie Set Tours, Tauranga Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Hobbiton Transport & Tauranga Highlights Excursion from Tauranga

6.Hobbiton Transport & Tauranga Highlights Excursion from Tauranga

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 219 reviews · from $86

Travel from Tauranga to Hobbiton with a small group and guides such as Alan, Hope, or Amanda. Allow about seven hours for transport, the guided Shire visit, lunch, and McLaren Falls. Hobbiton admission costs extra unless you select the ticket option.

“It was awesome ! If you like Lords of the Rings then this is a must do. You actually get to sit and walk around their house !”

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Tauranga: Evening Glowworm Kayak Tour - A generous taste of Aotearoa before paddling
Canoes & Kayaks, Evening Experiences, Kayaking Trips in Waitomo, Tauranga Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Waitomo Tours

Tauranga: Evening Glowworm Kayak Tour

7.Evening Glowworm Kayak Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 206 reviews · 3 hours · from $134

Meet at 36 Taniwha Place for a three-hour evening outing to Lake McLaren. Enjoy New Zealand cheese, honey, fruit, and kombucha before paddling into Mangapapa Canyon. Guides such as Ellie, Aaron, Lucy, and Tom provide gear, safety help, Māori stories, and glowworm facts.

“It was a lot of fun and the guides were very friendly. The snacks were okay and I really liked all the equipment we could choose from like warm sleeves and a rain jacket. The glowworms really did look magical and I feel like we could spend enough time admiring them.”

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Swim With Wild Dolphins in Tauranga - Watching from the boat comes first
Dolphin Watching, Tauranga Tours, Tour Reviews

Swim With Wild Dolphins in Tauranga

8.Swim With Wild Dolphins in Tauranga

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 189 reviews · from $102

Set out from Tauranga Bridge Marina at 9:00 am for a six-hour search for wild common dolphins in the Bay of Plenty. Your crew chooses the route around wind and weather, provides wetsuits, snorkel gear, tea, and coffee, and lets you watch from the boat or enter the water when conditions and dolphin behavior allow.

“We had an amazing trip! Saw penguins, a hammerhead shark, and dolphins. The crew was knowledgeable and so welcoming. Can’t say enough good things about the crew they were almost as good as the dolphins! We highly recommend this trip. It was the highlight of our holiday.”

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Tauranga Shore Excursion: Top Half Day Curated Highlights Tour - Te Puna shows where New Zealand kiwi fruit comes from
Shore Excursions, Shore Excursions in Tauranga, Tauranga Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Tauranga Shore Excursion: Top Half Day Curated Highlights Tour

9.Tauranga Shore Excursion: Top Half Day Curated Highlights Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 152 reviews · from $69

From Mount Maunganui, ride with guides such as Jan, Terry, Duncan, or Stephen through Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty. Walk in McLaren Falls Park, taste kiwi fruit and manuka honey, enjoy a cafe muffin and hot drink, take in Minden Lookout, and finish with hokey pokey ice cream.

“We had a fantastic day. Our tour guide Stephen was very friendly and gave us a very informative commentary. I would highly recommend this excursion.”

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From Tauranga: Half-Day Swimming with Dolphins Tour - Searching for common dolphins in open water
Dolphin Watching, Half-Day, Tauranga Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

From Tauranga: Half-Day Swimming with Dolphins Tour

10.Half-Day Swimming with Dolphins Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 151 reviews · 5 hours · from $98

From Tauranga, cruise into the Bay of Plenty with crew members such as Heidi and Lizzie to find common dolphins in the open sea. You may snorkel near them when conditions and dolphin behavior allow, while children stay aboard. Tea, coffee, fruit, gear, and free parking are included.

“The crew were really lovely and we saw various dolphins and 2 hammerhead sharks!! It was an incredible day.”

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Rotorua Geothermal Living Maori Village Tour Whakarewarewa 6.5hours Tour - Whakarewarewa, a village shaped by steam and boiling water
Geothermal Park Tours, Geothermal Tours in Tauranga, Māori Cultural Tours, Māori Cultural Tours in Tauranga, Tauranga Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Rotorua Geothermal Living Maori Village Tour Whakarewarewa 6.5hours Tour

11.Rotorua Geothermal Living Maori Village Tour Whakarewarewa 6.5hours Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 145 reviews · from $166

Travel from Tauranga to Rotorua in a small air-conditioned vehicle, then tour Whakarewarewa Living Māori Village with a local guide. See geothermal cooking, steaming pools, and Pohutu geyser, enjoy a hangi-style lunch and 30-minute performance, and return via Rotorua, Te Puke, and Mount Maunganui.

“This was a wonderful tour, a long drive to the village but well worth it. Jack was full of information about the area and fun to be with. Excellent driver as well.”

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Rotorua Geothermal Wonderland Tour – Departs Tauranga - The Māori welcome and performance
Geothermal Park Tours, Geothermal Tours in Tauranga, Tauranga Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Rotorua Geothermal Wonderland Tour – Departs Tauranga

12.Rotorua Geothermal Wonderland Tour – Departs Tauranga

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 123 reviews · from $166

Travel from Mount Maunganui to Rotorua in a small minivan with a local guide such as Nicolle, Russell, Tracy, or Buddy. Visit Te Puia for Māori culture, crafts, kiwi birds, Pohutu Geyser, mud pools, and a cultural performance, then walk among the redwoods before returning to Tauranga.

“I will not book on Wonderland Tours again. We arrived 15 minutes early for our confirmed tour, but were then told we were being added to a different earlier tour. The earlier tour used a 15 person van and was full except for 2 remaining seaRead more”

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Tauranga Private Excursion: Rotorua -Te Puia-Geysers & Kiwi's - Te Puia: geysers, Māori arts, and a cultural welcome
Māori Cultural Tours, Māori Cultural Tours in Tauranga, Private, Tauranga Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Tauranga Private Excursion: Rotorua -Te Puia-Geysers & Kiwi’s

13.Tauranga Private Excursion: Rotorua -Te Puia-Geysers & Kiwi’s

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 115 reviews

Travel privately from Tauranga to Rotorua with a driver-guide such as Josh, Jan, Steve, or Marina. Visit Te Puia, Pohutu Geyser, the kiwi house, Kuirau Park, Government Gardens, Okere Falls, and Paengaroa’s kiwifruit country in about seven hours.

“We enjoyed our trip to many beautiful sights. Rotorua is beautiful. The geysers, rivers, and the Cutural Center were awesome! We saw many other sights too!!! Are guide was very knowledgeable!”

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From Tauranga: Dolphin and Wildlife Cruise - Searching the Bay of Plenty for dolphins
Cruises & Boat Tours, Dolphin Watching, Tauranga Tours, Tour Reviews, Wildlife

From Tauranga: Dolphin and Wildlife Cruise

14.Dolphin and Wildlife Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 96 reviews · 5 hours · from $104

Join Bay Explorer at Tauranga’s Strand Wharf for a four to five-hour wildlife cruise with Jamie, Taylor, Emily Dee, Jordan, or James among the experienced crew. Watch for dolphins, penguins, seals, whales, orcas, sharks, and seabirds from a spacious boat with an open sun deck, bathrooms, and onboard bar.

“very good saw so many dolphins, people were all respectful of one another and staff were friendly and helpful”

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Tauranga: Mount Maunganui Harbour Sightseeing Cruise - Boarding the Kewpie at Tauranga waterfront
Cruises & Boat Tours, Tauranga Tours, Tour Reviews

Tauranga: Mount Maunganui Harbour Sightseeing Cruise

15.Mount Maunganui Harbour Sightseeing Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 89 reviews · 1 hour · from $23Best value

Spend an hour aboard the Kewpie, a 70-year-old timber ferry, cruising Tauranga Harbour with an English-speaking skipper and commentary. See Mount Maunganui, port operations, islands, beaches, and possible wildlife. If conditions allow, you can visit Matakana Island for a beach walk, swim, picnic, or fishing.

“Great commentary and hosting. Really enjoyed this cruise and thoroughly recommend it, not just for visitors, but also for locals.”

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